Plant irrigation systems provide a means of watering a potted plant without continual attention. Such plant irrigation systems typically include a container in which a water reservoir is held, a pot with a live plant potted therein, and a support which rests within the container and upon which the pot is placed, the support acting as a spacer such that the pot itself is not resting in the standing water. A wick is then routed from the water reservoir to the pot in order to water the plant within the pot by capillary action.
Supports used in plant irrigation systems of the prior art are characterized by certain drawbacks. For example, the supports of the prior art lack durability and have a limited life span when used with heavier types of plants and trees. The prior art supports are not necessarily sized to fit within the containers, which creates instability of the support within the container, causing the supports to move around and increase the chance of collapse, especially when the plants are being moved. Generally, the supports of the prior art are not variable in size to adapt to different sized containers or plant pots. Corrugated materials, or materials having irregular surfaces, which are used in prior art supports such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,962 issued to Lyon, trap unwanted debris, are difficult to clean, and result in the creation of foul smells. The prior art supports are limited to a low number of contact points with the pot, which limits the strength and stability. Finally, the supports of the prior art may not provide ease of access to the water reservoir to check water levels.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a system for supporting and watering plant pots which avoids the above-named drawbacks without compromising its intended purpose.